Feeding mechanism for folding machines



Jan. 29, 1952 A. F. SHIELDS FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 3, 1947 INVEN TOR. ALBERT F. SHIELDS A 7' TORNEYS Jan. 29, 1952 A. F. SHIELDS ,583,

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINE Original Filed June 3, 1947 e Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. ALBERT F. swans A T OPNE KS Jan. 29, 1952 A. F. SHIELDS FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed June 3, 1947 vnN . INVENTOR. ALBERT F SHIELDS ATTORNEYS Jan. 29, 1952 A. F. SHIELDS FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed June 3, 1947 I 244 M 24L I .Ljo

INVENTOR. ALBERT F. SH/ELDS BY @W WW A T TORNEVS Jan. 29, 1952 s s 2,583,713

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINE Original Filed June 3, 1947 e Sheets-Sheet 5 34,0 L=J 306 INVENT0R.4

ALBERT F. SH/ELDS ATTORNE V5 Jan. 29, 1952 r A. F. SHIELDS 2,583,713

' FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINE Original Filed June 5, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet e INVENTOR. ALBERT F. SH/ELDS A T TORA/EVS Patented Jan. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINES Original application June 3, 1947, Serial No. 752,199. Divided and this application January 3, 1949, Serial No. 70,320

1 Claim. (01. 271-44) My present invention is a division of application Serial No. 752,199, filed June 3, 1947, now Patent No. 2,517,449, dated August 1, 1950, which is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 696,085, filed September 11, 1946, and relates to folding machines and more particularly to a folding machine of the type generally shown in my prior Patent No. 2,336,507 wherein large size corrugated board or other paper blanks are to be passed from a stack through various folding elements and delivered to a tape applying mechanism.

In the making of cartons, it is necessary first to crease and slot the blanks in order properly to prepare them for the foldin operation. Heretofore and prior to the advent of a specific folding machine for operating rapidly on blanks, it has been customary to fold these blanks manually and feed them into the taping machine. The folding operation for an ordinary square tubular box comprises bending over the two outer panels on the score lines so that the edges of the panels meet to form a collapsed tube. The maximum speed which can be expected from manual folding is of the order of from 10 to 30 blanks per minute.- In addition, where the blanks have been incorrectly creased or scored prior to folding, it becomes necessary for the operator when bringing the edges of the folded panel together to twist the panels around the crease and adjust and reform the crease in order that the tube may be squared properly. This operation is very time consuming when performed manually; also the operator tends readily to place aside and discard blanks the panels of which are visibly askew, thus 1 high as 180 blanks per minute and even higher.

My novel device also embodies elements which will straighten and reform the crease in any blank in which the panels when folded are askew without slowing the rate of foldin in any way.

Primarily my present invention is directed toward improvements in the device shown in my Patent 2,336,507 which improvements were invented in order to increase the folding rate of my machine, also to increase the range of the machine with regard to sheet sizes and materials to improve the reliability of operation and also to shorten the set-up time. include a stacking arrangement which will permit delivery of warped blanks to the folding appa- These improvements 2 ratus, also where the side gages are automatically positioned when the folding width is set; prefolding elements which will start the panels to be folded around their bent line just prior to the point where the blanks reach the folding plates, improved plates which are curved to ex tend the pre-folding action; improved stop means which act on the unfolded portion of the blank for holding the blanks in proper position during folding; improved re-creasing means to re-form the creases in blanks, the panels of which would otherwise be askew; improved means for adjustin the machine to various sizes and arrangements of the blanks; and improved means for simplifyin and integrating the drives for the various elements of the machine so that each operation will take place at the proper instant.

Also, my novel machine includes added means to insure bringing the blanks up to the stop under all conditions and preventing rebound; stripping means to ensure that the folded blanks clear the retracted stop; folding bar limiting rolls to limit deflection of the folding bars and guide the folded blank into the straightening section.

Further objects of the present invention include improved feed-in or kicker arrangements, improved hold-down slat adjustment, improved folding bar adjustment, and improved feed-out elements between the kicker and the folding bars.

The foregoing and many other objects of my invention will become apparent in the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my novel improved folding machine.

Figure 2 is a side view of the novel folding machine of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a, side view partly in cross-section corresponding to the side view of Figure 2 taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1. 1

Figure 4 is an enlarged side view showing the stacking and feeding arrangement for the blanks to be folded.

Figure 5 is an end view-of my novel machine taken from line 5--5 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a view partly in cross-section of the front gauge of the stacking device taken from line 6-6 of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the manner in which the blank enters the region of the folding plates.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is an enlarged top plan view showing the arrangement of the pre-folding means for preparing the panels of the blanks for folding by the folding prints of my invention.

Figure 10 is a side view of the pre-folding means of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an end view of the pre-folding means and stop device taken from line l|--ll of Figures 1 and 10 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 12 is 'a side view partly broken away taken on line I2'-l2 of Figure 1 showing the means for operating-the stop device out. of stopping positionafter the blank has been folded.

Figure 13 is a detailed view taken from line l4- -l4 of Figures 1 and 3 showing the adjustment of the folding bars.

Figure 14 is a detail of the overrunning clutch feed-out arrangement.

Figure 15 is a detail of the forward end of the stacking table arrangement.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2, and 3, a stack of blanks is placed on the bed 22 of the- The overrunning clutch arrangement, how-.

ever, permits the feed-out rolls in front of the stacking device to feed out the blank at higher speed into the folding mechanism without ini- I tial interference from the slower moving rolls stacking section 2| of the machine between the rear gauge 23 and the front gauge 25. The bottom blank in the stack is fed toward the right by the feed slat 21 through the spaces 30, 30 (Figure 6) between the front gauges 25, and the bar 31 on which the stack is placed. The spaces are adjusted so that they are just high enough to permit one of the blanks 20 to pass through while holding back the remainder of the stack. The blank passing through the spaces 30 passes over the bar 3| and-then is pushed by the feed slat 21 between the upper and lower feed rolls 35 and 36, respectively (Figure 3). Feed rolls 35 and 36 engage the blank and carry it forward to the upper and lower feed rolls 31 and 38. Feed roll 38 on the underside of the blank extends across the width of the machine whereas the upper feed roll 31 actually consists oftwo rollers 31a and 31b (Figure 1) which are adjustable so as to engage only the unfolded panel. of the blank; that is, feed rollers 31a and 31b are adjusted so that they are just inside the fold line as defined by the folding bars 39 and 40.

The blanks are then fed by the feed rolls 31 and 38 between the upper and lower feed rolls 4.1, 42. Upper feed roll 4| actually consists of two feed rolls Ma and 41b occupying the same position, respectively, as feed rolls 31a and 31b as shown in Figure 1 and simultaneously adjustable with said feed rolls. The feed roll 42 on the underside is a single roll extending entirely across the machine and is rotatably mounted between the levers 43 which in turn are rotatably mounted on the pins 44 on opposite sides of the machine carried on lugs 01' the cross-bracket 45. The lower. end of cross-bracket 45 has secured thereto arm 45 having an opening through which the spring guide rod 41 passes (all of the foregoing may readily be seen in Figure 3). Compression spring 48 around the guide rod 41 bears between washer 49 on the underside of lever 43 and washer 50 on the upper side of arm 46 and thus biases lever arm 43 upwardly to bias the idling roll of 42 upwardly to tight]: press the blank against the upper feed roll 4 The maximum lift of lever 43 and thus the maximum rise of idling roll 42 may be controlled by the adjustable n'uts 5| on the lower end of the guide rod 41.

Rolls 36 and 38 are also spring biased in a to a stationary lug 58 (Figures 3 and 10).

53. These rolls 53, because of the overrunning clutch arrangement, will rotate faster at the speed of the blank as it is fed out; but will drive the blank after it is fed out at a slower speed against the stop hereinafter described. The

slower speed prevents marring of the front edges of the blank.

Each of the arms 54 has an extension 53 on the opposite side of the shaft 55 connected to tension spring 51, which in turn is connected The spring 51 biases the feed rolls 53 upwardly to engage and drive the blank. The feed rolls 53 engage the blank on each side by pressing it up against the folding bars 33 and 40 and thus carry the blank forward until its front edge engages the stops 58 mounted on stop bars 13. The

forward progress of the blank is thus arrested 1 while the feed rolls 53 continue to rotate and press the blank against the stops 53.

While the blank is in this position with its for- -ward edge against the two stops 58, the creases or scores on which the fold is to take place are in register with the outer sides of the folding bars 39 and 40. This is, of course, obtained by an appropriate adjustment of the machine as hereinafter described, prior to the beginning of a run and by appropriate stacking of the blanks.

The folding bars 39 and 40 may be vertically adjusted to accommodate for different thicknesses of blanks. They are secured at the front flanges 40a of brackets 332 (Figures 1, 3, and 13) by slots 40b in the vertical flanges 400 of bars 39 and 40 which are engaged by clamping nuts 4012. These nuts may be loosened to permit the bars 39 and 40 to be raised or lowered and may then be tightened again.

While the blank is in the stop position against stop 58, the folding plates 60 (Figure 1) which are each held on their respective cross arms 6| are driven around to fold the blank. Each of the cross arms 6| which supports its folding plate 50 is driven by link 62 which connects it to the crank 63; which in turn is driven from the folding blank operating box 64. The drive for folding plate 60 is thus substantially the same as described in my prior Patent No. 2,336,507.

The folding plate 60 is driven around by the mechanism thus described to fold the side panels of the blank around the folding bars 33 and 4| and to fold them down flat upon the remainder of the blank. The folding operation is facilitated first by reason of the fact that the folding plates 60 and GI are downwardly bent at 31 in order that the side panels of the blank may readily ride up thereon. Also, the folding operation is further facilitated by means of the deflecting plate on each side (seen specifically in Figures 9 to 11) each of which terminate in an angularly positioned roller ll so that the side panels are folded up of the order of 25 between plate 10 and roller II on each side even before the blank reaches the folding position. The side panels are thus given an initial angularity with respect to the moving blank so that the folding plates need not rotate the side panels through a full 180 but must as shown by an examination of Figure 11 rotate through approximately only 150.

The stop bars 13 are as shown in Figure 10 supported by the bracket arm 15 which in turn is pivotally supported on the fixed shaft 19 on each side.

The stop bar 13 on each side has a downward extension 18, the lower end of which is connected by eye bolt 19 to the tension spring 80, which in turn is connected to the lug 8| secured to the U-shap'ed members 22a which are fixed to the width of the folding boxes and adjusted with them. Accordingly, the stop bar 13 on each side is maintained in raised position. The U members 22a-serve to support the blank while in the folding section and then also serve to strip the folded blank from the stop when it retracts.

' 58 on each side and thus removes the stop members from the leading edge of the blank.

The machine is so arranged and timed that as soon as the stops 58 are depressed by the action of lever 85, slot 90 mounted across the chains 9| moves up into engagement with the rear of the folded blank and moves the blank beneath the hold-down strip 92, which strip is adjustably supported.

Hold-down slat 92 is provided with a rack 92a engaged by pinion 93 on shaft 94 provided with handle 94a. Rotation of handle 94a will adjust the hold-down slat 92 longitudinally by feed screw 93 operated by knurled knob 94 on the cross bar 95. The hold-down strip 92 is adjusted so that it extends just in front of the stops 59. The front end is curved upwardly so that panels which tend to spring up after being folded will be guided down again and their edges brought to abutting position. As soon as the slat 90 on chains 9| engages and moves it forward further through the machine, the guide presses down on the same between the panels and prevents the folded blank from opening up.

The blank is then carried forward between the limiting rolls I00, i0! which as shown in Figure 3 loosely control the position of the delivery end of folding bars 39 ,and 40. Since the folding bars 39 and 40 are supported from the front guide elements of the stacking device and since the free or delivery ends of the folding bars are substantially distant from their supports, they. may be moved through a small angle.

The rollers I00, I01 above and below, respectively, each of the folding bars 39 and 40 limit, the upward and downward movement of the free ends of the folding bars 39 and 40 so that they will not be flexed to too great an extent. These rollers also serve, in addition to controlling the position of the free ends of the folding bars 39 6 and 40, to control the blank and hold it in a somewhat central position so that the edges of the blank will be properly engaged by the straightening rolls 0. a

The. straightening rolls llll are each mounted on stub shafts III which in turn are supported on the adjustable plates H2, H2. Straightening rolls I H) on each side are aligned with each other and are provided with grooves-as shown in Figure 3adapted to receive the folded edge of the blank. The plates H2, H2 are adjusted so that the peripheries of the alignedrollers H0 on each side are spaced apart by a distance which is slightly less than the width of the folded blank. The slat forces the blank between the rolls H0 with the edges of the blank riding in the annular grooves on each side. Since the rolls are thus spaced slightly closer together than the width of the blank, the crease or fold is adjusted and spread vertically.

The movement of the slat which maintains the body of the blank normal to its direction of travel holds the blank at the correct angles: with respect to the rolls I I0 so that in a properly folded blank the crease is adjusted regularly on each side. Where the score line was initially incorrect or where the panel was folded improperly, the score lines are adjusted and straightened so that recreasing rolls I20 may then recrease or press the fold properly. The rolls H0 adjust and spread the crease to a greater width at that portion of the blank which has been widened by the skewed folding. As the blank leaves the crease adjusting rolls I I0, it passes between the pressure rolls I20, I20 which recreases the blanks as the blanks are delivered. Since the blank is maintained with its side edges exactly parallel to its path of movement by the slat 90, the recreasing operation performed by recreasing rolls I20 forms the crease in exactly the right position.

I have found that panels which have been skewed so that the trailing or leading edge of the panel projects over the edge of the main body of the box by more than a quarter of an inch have been straightened and properly recreased by this operation. Blanks which had been improperly scored, so that when folded up the panel would be skewed, have been corrected and straightened during the passage through the folding machine.

My machine, therefore, reduces the waste of blanks and makes it possible to utilize blanks even though they have been improperly or carelessly creased or scored.

This type of recreasing operation has also been described in my prior Patent 2,336,507 wherein several spaced crease adjusting rolls are shown on each side. While spaced crease adjusting rolls have been able properly to recrease and correct skewed blanks, I have found that by placing the crease adjusting rolls H0 in closely spaced relation as shown in Figures 1 and 3, a greater degree of skew may be corrected.

Each of the said slats 90 mounted across the chains 9| has a recess I30 so that it may readily slide or move on either side'of the hold-down slat 92.

The folded blanks are preferably delivered to a taping machine and the bar 126a serves to hold down the panels of the folded blank right up to the point of tape application. Side guides "0a are provided to guide the blanks into the straightening section without marring the front corners of the box.

The apparatus comprises, as previously pointed out, a number of improved elements, each of g 7 which cooperate with each other and with the entire machine in order to provide for increased chains. Shaft I53 also holds sprocket I60 which in turn drives sprockets I6I, I62 and I63 thus driving the lower delivery shaft HI and the upper delivery shaft I40 and the taper cam shaft I66.

Referring to Figure l, the end of shaft I53 holds a bevel gear I10 which drives bevel gear "I on shaft I12. Bevel gear I13 on shaft I12 (also in Figure 12) drives bevel gear I14 on stud I15 and so drives drop-off cam I16 which is mounted on bevel gear I14. Roller I11 on arm I18 engages the periphery of cam I16; thus an oscillatory motion is imparted to lever I18 and to shaft 86 on which it is mounted; the shaft 86 as mentioned before serves to retract the stop 58. Set screw I80 held in housing I8I engages an arm of lever I18 and serves to limit the angular motion of the lever I18 and also of the shaft 86.

Referring back to Figure 1, the shaft I12 is connected to shaft 200 by means of thecoupling 20I. Bevel gear 202 on shaft 200 drives bevel gear 203 on shaft 204 which provides power to both of the folding boxes 64. Bevel gear 205 on shaft 200 drives bevel gear 206 on shaft 201 and thus turns the spur gear 208 which also is keyed to shaft 201.

Referring to Figure 2, gear 206 meshes with gear 209, 2I0, and 2H and thus drives gears 220, 221 and 222. Gear 222 drives gear 223. It can be seen that by means of this gearing the feed rolls 35, 36, 31, 38 and 4| are all driven. Also that gears and 38 are pivotally held on the centers of gears 222 and 209., respectively, so that these feed rolls when spring biased will adjust themselves to any thickness of blank.

Referring back to Figure 1, gear 230 on shaft 200 drives gear 23! which holds bevel gear 232. Bevel gear 232 drives bevel gear 233 on the kicker drive shaft 234.

Referring to Figure 4, the crank 235 which is keyed to 234 drives link 236 which in turn drives crank 231 and link 238. Link 238 is a pin-connected link which transfer the variable rotary motion of pin 239 on link 231 to a variable reciprocating motion of pin 240 on kicker carriage 24I. Carriage 24I carries the kicker bar 242 in such a manner that the bar is adjustable relatively to the carriage by means of the T-shaped member 243 and the screw 244. The spring kickers 21 are mounted on the kicker bar 242 in order to obtain adjustment for uneven blanks.

The bar 3| cooperating with the elevated kicker makes it possible to take warped sheets without interfering with kicking or ejecting operation. Bar 3I is undercut at 3Ia to permit the spring kickers 21 to enter beneath and thus make possible the feeding out of short sheets. The rear of the stack rests on the upper surface of elements 24 when the spring kickers 21 feed out the bottom sheet.

The elevation of the forward and rear ends of the lower sheet as seen in Figure 4 by bar 3I at the front and kicker 21 at the rear end permits all sheets during the feed out operation to as- 8 sumo the shape of any'warped sheet so that all sheets, warped or plane, may be fed out.

All members which engage the edges of the blank are provided with nuts which in turn are driven by screws, all of which are driven from a common source on each side of the machine in order to adjust the machine for different widths of blanks.

The motor 300 in Figure 2 drives the shaft "I through a worm gear reduction 302. Shaft 30I holds a sprocket 303 (Figure 1) which engages a chain 304 which passes over sprockets 305, 306, and 301. Sprockets 305, 306 and 301 drive screws 308, 309 of Figure 10 and 3I0 of Figure 1, respectively, and these in turn serve to adjust the straightening roll bracket II2, the stop and deflector assembly of Figure 10, and the folding box 64 of Figure 1, respectively. At the other end of shaft 30I is a sprocket 320 which by means of chain 32I drives sprockets 322 and 323. Sprocket 324 is an idler for the purpose of tightening chain 32I.

Referring to Figure 6, sprocket 322 is keyed to screw 343 which engages nut 343a of Figure I mounted on frame 325. Frame 325 holds the side gauge 326 shown also in Figures 2 andfi. Sprocket 323 is keyed to screw 330 which engages nut 33I on frame 332 shown in Figures 1 and 3. Frame 332 serves to hold front gauge 25 and also the folding guide bar 39. Since the sprocket 322 contains half a many teeth as the sprocket 323 and since their respective screws 343 and 330 have the same lead, the frame 325 which holds the side gauge 326 will be moved twice as far as the frame 332 for a given movement of the chain 32I and of the sprocket 320. The frames 325 and 332 are supported on bars 35I and 352 in Figure '3. These bars are held at both ends by the brackets 353 and 354 (Figure 6) which are mounted on housings 355 and 356, respectively.

Referring to Figure 10 in a similar manner, the carriage 3I2 is mounted on the two bars 16 and 360 which are in turn supported in the side frames of the machine.

In the foregoing I have described my invention solely in connection with specific illustrative embodiments thereof. Since many variation and modifications of my invention will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, I prefer to be bound not by the specific disclosures herein contained but only by the appended claim.

I claim:

In apparatus for successively feeding the bottom sheet in a plane parallel to the said sheet from a stack of said sheets; a platform for supporting the stack of sheets, side guides for defining the stack of sheets and front guides for maintaining the stack of sheets in position; said front guides extending vertically above the said platform; a space between the lower ends of the front guides and the platform equal to slightly more than the thickness of one sheet; means in said feeding device adapted to feed out such sheets when such sheets extend in a perfect plane and when such sheets are warped, said means comprising a horizontally movable feed bar movable along the platform toward and away from the front guides, said feed bar extending above the level of the platform and including a rest for the trailing edge of the lowest sheet in the stack, whereby the trailing edge of the lowest sheet in the stack is held above the level of the platform; a. stationary bar on the platform in the region of the front guides extending transverse to the direction of movement of the sheets, the leading edge of the lowest sheet in the stack resting on said stationary bar and being elevated above the level of the platform, a recess beneath said stationary bar; a portion or the feed bar being move able into said recess on the feed out stroke of 5 the feed bar.

' ALBERT F. SHIELDS.

me of this patent:

Number 10 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Clark Aug. 7, 1917 Swift Sept. 27, 1927 Sieg Oct. 11, 1927 Jacobson June 2%, 1943 

